ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Mitchell school board to review funding for new high school, go into executive session in special meeting

Special meeting set for Monday, Jan. 24

073121.N.DR.HIGHSCHOOL1.jpg
The Mitchell School District is developing a plan to construct a new high school building.
Matt Gade / Mitchell Republic

MITCHELL — The Mitchell Board of Education will consider adopting a resolution concerning general obligation certificates for the proposed Mitchell High School construction project Monday, Jan. 24 at a special meeting of the board.

The meeting will be held at 5 p.m. at the Mitchell Career & Technical Education Academy commons.

In the meeting agenda notes, Joe Graves, superintendent for the Mitchell School District, said he will request the board approve the resolution in order to lock down the best possible interest rates.

“Raising the necessary funds for the Mitchell High School construction project will mean the use of capital outlay dollars from reserves set aside for that purpose,” Graves notes in the agenda. “Federal ESSER II and ESSER III dollars, and the sale of what are commonly known as capital outlay certificates. To secure the funds from that latter source and in order to secure the best rates possible, I am asking that the board approve the attached resolution to begin that process.”

Jan. 24 Special School Board Meeting by Erik Kaufman on Scribd

Mitchell school officials have been planning for the eventual replacement of the current Mitchell High School building, which was built in 1962, for several years, building up funds to put toward the project. The new structure is expected to cost in the neighborhood of $40 million to $45 million. In addition to capital outlay dollars set aside for the project, federal COVID-19 relief money, which can be used for improvement projects such as this, will also be put toward the work.

ADVERTISEMENT

The influx of COVID-19 relief money into the equation allowed the district to move up the high school project, which would have otherwise likely gotten underway in 2025. The district secured Schemmer, headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, as the architect for the project in August.

Executive session

Also on the agenda for Jan. 24, the board is expected to enter into an executive session for the purpose of discussing the qualifications, competence, performance, character or fitness of any public officer or prospective public officer or employee.

The third item on the agenda is set aside for any action the board may wish to take after it leaves executive session. The board cannot vote while in executive session.

The meeting is open to the public. The Mitchell Republic will live stream the meeting.

Erik Kaufman joined the Mitchell Republic in July of 2019 as an education and features reporter. He grew up in Freeman, S.D., graduating from Freeman High School. He graduated from the University of South Dakota in 1999 with a major in English and a minor in computer science. He can be reached at ekaufman@mitchellrepublic.com.
What To Read Next
Get Local

ADVERTISEMENT